On Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers played the Oklahoma City Thunder (at home) in California.
The Lakers lost by a score of 123-87.
Despite the Lakers dealing with a lot of injuries, Deandre Ayton finished with just three points, three rebounds and one block while shooting 1/4 from the field in 23 minutes of playing time.
JJ Redick Makes Blunt Deandre Ayton Statement
GettyHead coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the second quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on December 6, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia.
After the game, JJ Redick was asked about Ayton (h/t Underdog NBA).
Redick: “He’s had trouble catching the ball… We’ve ran a bunch of plays for him. He’s just had trouble catching the ball.”
GettyLos Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton (5) stands alone on the court during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena on February 79 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
Ayton is in the middle of his first season playing for the Lakers.
He had come into the night with averages of 12.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per contest while shooting 67.2% from the field in 68 games.
Ayton’s NBA Background
Ayton was the first pick in the 2018 NBA Draft after one season of college basketball at Arizona.
He spent the first five years of his career playing for the Phoenix Suns.
In 2021, Ayton helped lead the franchise to the NBA Finals.
GettyDeandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts prior to the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
Ayton then played two seasons for the Portland Trail Blazer before signing with the Lakers.
His career averages are 15.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 blocks per contest while shooting 59.8% from the field in 466 games.
So far, the 27-year-old has had an up-and-down tenure in Los Angeles.
GettyDeandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates after scoring against the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena on January 30, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Lakers After Latest Loss
GettyDeandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on prior to their game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena on February 20, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
The Lakers have had an excellent season, but they have lost all of their momentum after injuries to Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic.
With their loss to OKC, they dropped to 50-29 in 79 games, which has them as the fourth seed in the Western Conference.
Currently, the Lakers are in the middle of a three-game losing streak (and 6-4 over their last ten).
On Thursday night, they will resume action when they visit Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
JJ Redick Makes Blunt Deandre Ayton Statement After Thunder-Lakers Game